Multi-layer food product system and process

ABSTRACT

A system produces a multi-layer product by forming as many different ingredients as is required for the final product in steps that can be separate from each other and then combining these ingredients in an extrusion die that is formed to flow the separate ingredients in side-by-side flow paths and then combine them where necessary for the final product to be formed. Specifically, two of the flow paths are sandwiched by a third flow path whereby the final product is in the form of a sandwich with two ingredients in layers between two separate layers of a third ingredient. A specific example of the food product is an animal food treat in the form of a cheeseburger.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation of and claims priority in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/894,537, filed Jun. 28, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No.6,777,011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is an immense variety of prepared food products on the market.These food products are often prepared in a batch process, and someproducts are prepared using extrusion techniques. The food art containsan enormous amount of disclosures pertaining to the preparation of suchprepared food products.

Due to the intense competition in the prepared food market, anyadvantage that can be obtained in the preparation of the product can beextremely valuable. These advantages are often manifested inimprovements in efficiency as well as improvement in the quality andtaste of the product itself. However, improvements in versatility forthe systems and elements used in the production of the food product canalso be important. Of course, the advantages are most striking if adesign change improves all of the above-mentioned elements.

Multilayer prepared food products have been popular in recent times.These products are often two layers and are often formed by fairlycomplicated processes. Such products have often been expensive toproduce and the processes are generally not amenable to easymodification so the product is not easily changed to accommodate marketdynamics.

Therefore, there is a need for a process and system that can efficientlyproduce a multilayer prepared food product. Still further, there is aneed for such a process and system that is amenable to efficient change.

More specifically, the production of a multi-layer prepared food producthaving two layers has often been complicated and expensive resulting inan expensive product. To the inventor's knowledge, there is nomulti-layer prepared food product having more than two layers that canbe efficiently produced in a cost-effective and versatile manner.Therefore, there is a need for a process and system for efficientlyproducing a multi-layer prepared food product that has more than twolayers.

Most specifically, to the knowledge of the inventor, no multi-layerprepared food product on the market at the present time simulates acheeseburger. That is, a food product that has a layer of cheese and alayer of meat sandwiched between two layers of bread. Because of thepopularity of cheeseburgers, it is believed that the market for aprepared food product that simulates a cheeseburger will be quite large.

Therefore, there is a need for a process and system for producing aprepared food product that simulates a cheeseburger.

The market for animal-consumable food is nearly as large as the marketfor human consumable food. The animal food market has numerous forms ofpet treats including treats that simulate many food items that areproduced for human consumption. However, to the inventor's knowledge,there is no prepared food product on the market that is intended foranimal consumption that simulates a cheeseburger.

Therefore, there is a need for a prepared food product that is intendedfor animal consumption that simulates a cheeseburger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-discussed disadvantages and drawbacks are overcome by a systemthat produces a multi-layer product by forming as many differentingredients as is required for the final product in steps that can beseparate from each other and then combining these ingredients in anextrusion die that is formed to flow the separate ingredients inside-by-side flow paths and then combine them where necessary for thefinal product to be formed. The multi-layer product can thus includemore than two layers. Specifically, two of the flow paths are sandwichedby a third flow whereby the final product is in the form of a sandwichwith two ingredients in layers between two separate layers of a thirdingredient for a total of four layers.

The overall system is quite versatile because as many ingredients andadditives can be added to the die as desired and the die can havemultiple flow paths defined therethrough whereby the ingredients areadded together in layer form and the layers can be treated as necessarybefore further layers or further process steps are performed. The finalproduct can be cut into lengths as desired so the final product takes adesired form. Modifying the final overall product is also cost effectivebecause adding or deleting ingredients is efficient to achieve. Theamount or type of additives can be easily changed as necessary so thedesired overall final product is achieved in a cost effective andefficient manner.

A specific example of the food product is an animal food treat thatresembles a hamburger, specifically, a cheeseburger. However, while thisis the best mode for this invention, those skilled in the art willunderstand that the teaching of the present disclosure can be applied toany food product, including a food product for human consumption withoutdeparting from the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, it is intendedthat such other food products are also to be included in the scope ofthe present invention.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the general art of food and ediblematerials, processes, compositions and products, and to the particularfield of preparing or treating compositions involving combining diversefood materials.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a multi-layerfood product.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-layerfood product that is easily formed into a sandwich form.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-layerfood product having more than two layers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-layerfood product that is cost-effective to produce.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-layerfood product that is formed by a versatile system that is amenable tochanges in food product form and/or food product content.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-layerfood product that is formed by a process that includes an extrusionstep.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide amulti-layer animal food product.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a prepared foodproduct that simulates a cheeseburger.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a prepared foodproduct that is intended for animal consumption and simulates acheeseburger.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example,certain embodiments of this invention.

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and includeexemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate variousobjects and features thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall system for preparing amulti-layer food product according to the teaching of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 shows a die used to combine steams of ingredients into amulti-layer food product according to the teaching of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2A is a machine drawing of a die used in the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a multi-layer food product formed in accordance with theteaching of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another form of the overall systemfor preparing a multi-layer food product according to the teaching ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 shows another die used to combine streams of ingredients into amulti-layer food product according to the teaching of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the process used to form amulti-layer food product according to the teaching of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6A is a flow diagram illustrating a modified form of the processshown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating another process used to form amulti-layer food product according to the teaching of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis forthe claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in theart to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed structure.

The present disclosure provides a system and a process for producing amulti-layer food product that includes at least two layers of oneingredient sandwiching at least one layer of another ingredient to forma final product that is multi-layer and in the form of a sandwich foodproduct. The various ingredients can be formed in separate process stepsand then are combined in an extrusion die in layers that are combinedinto the multi-layer product having distinct layers. The final productis formed by performing steps, such as cutting lengths of the finalmulti-layer product into predetermined lengths of product, cooking asneeded, and the like.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 1, a system 10 is shown for forming amulti-layer food product in accordance with the present invention.System 10 includes a supply 12 of dry mix material which is commonlyused in forming food-like products. Some of these products includegrain, palatability enhancers or the like, and those skilled in the artwill understand what type of material is included in the dry mix toproduce the final product discussed in this disclosure. Supply 12 can bein a single container or in several separate containers as necessary.The container can include mixing elements as well as appropriate heatingor cooling elements. Dry mix from supply 12 is moved to a plurality ofdifferent process steps. As shown in FIG. 1, dry mix from supply 12 ismoved to a first preparation unit 14 which can be a cooker, including abatch cooker or a product densification unit (PDU) via a conduit 16which fluidically connects unit 14 to supply 12. A slurry from slurrycontainer 18 is formed using liquid or the like and is fluidicallyconnected to unit 14 by a conduit 22. A pump 24 and a meter 26 arelocated in conduit 22 to move slurry from container 18 to unit 14. Thepump and meter can be connected to a suitable control console C viaelectrical connections, such as connection 30 and/or connection EC tocontrol movement of slurry to unit 14 in accordance with formulasassociated with the final product being formed using system 10. Theslurry is combined with the dry product in unit 14 and is prepared andformed into a slurry type material that is capable of flowing. Asuitable pump, such as pump 32 is controlled at console C and is used tomove dry mix to the various locations in system 10.

A conduit 34 conducts the slurry type material from unit 14 to a valve36 that can be controlled by the control console via a suitableelectrical connections, such as electrical connection 38 to divert someor all of the slurry type material into conduit 39. Another pump 42 islocated in conduit 39 to move the slurry type material through conduit39. As shown in FIG. 1, an additive, such as a food color, or tasteenhancers, or food product, or the like, is added to the slurry typematerial flowing through conduit 39 from a container 46 via a meter 48that can also be controlled from the system control console mentionedabove. Pump 42 moves the slurry type material having the additivetherein to a die 50 via a conduit 40. Die 50 is an extrusion die inwhich cooking is done and which is sized and configured to form themulti-layer product of the present invention from the ingredientsflowing thereto as will be understood from the ensuing discussion.

As is also shown in FIG. 1, system 10 also includes a second preparationunit 52 which can be a former or cooker if desired. Unit 52 isfluidically connected to unit 14 via valve 36 and a conduit 54 andreceives prepared slurry from unit 14 via that fluid connection. Unit 52forms the received material into an appropriate slurry that flows to die50 via conduit 54. A pump can be included in conduit 54 if necessary. Itis also noted that appropriate pumps, meters and valves can be includedat various locations throughout system 10 as needed, and can becontrolled from console C.

It is noted that unit 52 can be omitted from some forms of system 10. Insuch an embodiment, slurry material from unit 14 will be routed directlyto die 50 via conduit 34 and valve 36 which will be fluidicallyconnected to conduit 54.

As is also shown in FIG. 1, system 10 further includes anotherpreparation unit 60 fluidically connected to dry mix supply 12 by aconduit 62. Unit 60 can be a cooker, a batch cooker, a PDU or the likeas required. A pump and/or a meter can be inserted in conduit 62 asnecessary to move material from dry mix supply 12 to unit 60. System 10includes an additive container 64 fluidically connected to unit 60 by aconduit 66 in which a pump 68 and/or a meter 70 is located. In thepreferred form of system 10, additive from container 64 is a meat andpreservative mixture and will be referred to as a meat like product.Some preservatives include animal fat, while others include gelatinizedstarches or the like. Those skilled in the art will understand theingredients of such a product based on the teaching of the presentdisclosure. As is also shown in FIG. 1, further additives, such as foodcoloring, taste enhancers, or the like can be added to the materialbeing processed in unit 60 from a container 72 via a conduit 74 in whicha meter 76 and a pump 78 are located to move the material from container72 to unit 60 in volumes and at flow rates set at the control console Cto correspond to the formula being followed to prepare the food product.

Once the material in unit 60 has achieved the desired condition, itflows from unit 60 to die 50 via a conduit 80. It is noted that unit 60,like units 14 and 52 as well as any other units that are included in thesystem, include appropriate sensors, meters and the like which areelectrically connected to console C to relay information to thatconsole. The relayed information is used at the console to control theoverall process in accordance with the formulas and relationships beingused to prepare the final product as well as the characteristics of thefinal product.

As will be understood from the present disclosure, all materials flowingto die 50 will be in a form that can flow through conduits to die 50.

In the preferred form of system 10, the final food product is in theform of a cheeseburger sandwich. For purposes of this disclosure, a“cheeseburger” is a sandwich-like product having a layer of cheese-likeproduct on a layer of meat-like product with two layers of bread-likeproduct sandwiching the layers of cheese-like product and meat-likeproduct. It is also noted that any of the products used in thecheeseburger can be constituted in a manner that satisfies FDAdefinitions whereby the product can be termed “cheese,” “meat” or“bread” under FDA definitions of such terms. Therefore, the term“cheeseburger, is intended to include such products as well. The termsthat include “like” are intended to be applied to products andingredients that are used in preparing products that can be sold withproducts such as those used for animal consumption or which can be soldfor human consumption of such “like” products. Therefore, material fromunit 14 is turned into a cheese-like product and has a food coloringsuch as yellow or orange added from container 46 so the product enteringdie 50 via conduit 40 has the appearance and taste of a cheese-likeproduct. Still further, product from unit 52 will resemble bread or abun when it is added to die 50 via conduit 54. Therefore, unit 52 willoperate on material in conduit 54 as needed to turn the prepared dry mixslurry from unit 14 into a bread-like product. If no such unit is neededand the material from unit 14 can be used as a bread-like product in die50, unit 52 can be omitted from system 10. Still further, when acheeseburger-like product is being formed using system 10, dry mix fromsource 12 will be processed in unit 60 with meat-like products as wellas preservatives and fat from container 64 and coloring and/or flavoringfrom container 72 to form a meat-like product to be added to die 50 viaconduit 80.

As will be understood from the following discussion, these products arecombined in die 50 to form a multi-layered product that has at least twolayers of the same material sandwiching at least one layer, andpreferably two layers, of other materials when the final product exitsdie 50.

Die 50 is shown in FIG. 2. Die 50 is fluidically connected to conduits40, 54 and 80 to receive materials I_(C), I_(B) and I_(M) respectivelytherefrom. Accordingly, die 50 includes a body 90 which includes aninlet port 92 which receives conduit 40, an inlet port 94 which receivesconduit 54 and an inlet port 96 which receives conduit 80 to establishfluid connections between those conduits and die body 90. It is notedthat inlet port 94 and conduit 54 are shown in FIG. 2 by dotted lines toindicate that they are hidden in FIG. 2. As can also be understood fromFIG. 2, body 90 includes a flow path 100 defined therethrough and whichintersects a chamber 102 defined by body 90 and a separator plate 104.Separator plate 104 is fixed at one end 106 thereof to body 90 and hasanother end 108 spaced from end 106. Chamber 102 is defined by separatorplate 104, wall 110, rear wall 112 and front wall 114 and extends fromadjacent to end 106 of separator plate 104 to adjacent to end 108 ofseparator plate 104. An outlet 116 of chamber 102 is located adjacent toend 108 of the separator plate. Material I_(C) flows from conduit 40into chamber 102 via flow path 100 and from chamber 102 via outlet 110as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2.

As is also shown in FIG. 2, a flow path 122 is defined in body 90 toextend from inlet 94 to a chamber 124 that surrounds chamber 102adjacent to outlet 116. Because of this relative positioning of chambers102 and 124, any material I_(B) flowing in conduit 54 will surroundmaterial I_(C) flowing from conduit 40 through and from chamber 102. Theconsistency of the materials is maintained so these materials will notmix together, but only abut each other and bond at the abutting surfaceswhen they are combined in die 50. While these materials are flowing inchambers 102 and 124 they are flowing essentially side-by-side and in acommon output direction toward outlet port 130 of die 50.

As is also shown in FIG. 2, material I_(M) flowing from conduit 80 flowsthrough inlet port 96 into a chamber 132 and flows in the output flowdirection toward outlet port 130 as indicated in FIG. 2. Chamber 132 isdefined by separator plate 104, wall 134 and front wall 136. An outlet138 is defined by front wall 136 and end 108 of separator plate 104.Chamber 124 surrounds chamber 132 adjacent to outlet 138 whereby anymaterial I_(M) flowing from conduit 80 through chamber 132 and outoutlet 138 will be surrounded by material flowing through chamber 124.As discussed above, the materials I_(M) and I_(B) are formed so thatthey can flow in the side-by-side manner indicated in FIG. 2 in theoutput direction and can abut each other in layers without interminglingwhereby layers are formed and retained as the mixture moves toward andthrough outlet port 130. The layering of the materials is indicated inFIG. 2 as layers L_(B), L_(C) and L_(M) with two layers L_(B)sandwiching layers L_(C) and L_(M).

An exit conduit 140 extends from outlets 116 and 138 of chambers 102 and132 respectively into outlet flow path 142 through die 50 to ensure thatmaterials I_(M) and I_(C) form distinct layers that are in abuttingcontact before layer I_(B) contacts such abutting layers. Furtherdistances and heat addition are included in die 50 to ensure that themulti-layer product shown in FIG. 2 exiting outlet port 130 containsdistinct layers. The length and internal dimensions of exit conduit 140are adjusted so the layers L_(C) and L_(M) bond together yet aresufficiently unfinished to accept layer L_(B). In one form of the die,this distance is 0.50 inches, while the conduit is circular and has aninternal diameter of 0.314 inches. The conduits and chambers are sizedto produce pressures that achieve the goals of the process, such as apressure of 400 to 500 psi in chamber 124. However, such pressures andtemperatures can be adjusted to accommodate the final product. Thesestate conditions can be monitored at the control console and adjusted asnecessary according to feedback from an analysis of the final productbeing produced by the system.

Die 50 preferably is an extrusion die, so the final multi-layer product150 is a continuous stream of product. In some instances, it isdesirable to have finite lengths of material. Accordingly, a cutter unit152 is mounted on die 50 adjacent to outlet port 130. Cutter unit 152includes a knife blade 154 and is controlled by the control console forthe system to cut predetermined lengths of multi-layer product flowingfrom outlet port 130. The materials forming the various layers can havedifferent contraction rates during cooling whereby a rectangular elementwith co-extensive ends for the layers such as shown in FIG. 2 willdistort and assume an arcuate peripheral shape with layers L_(B) in somecases shrinking more than layers L_(C) and L_(M) which shrink about thesame as each other whereby, layers L_(C) and L_(M) will extend out oflayers L_(B) in the manner of a sandwich such as a cheeseburger. Aproduct of this shape is indicated in FIG. 3 as product 150′ with anoverlap being indicated by portion L_(M)′. However, depending on thematerials used in the layers, the distortion and shrinkage may vary orbe the same for all layers. Those skilled in the food art willunderstand the factors and the effects of the various factors on thefinal product based on the teaching of this disclosure.

For the sake of completeness, a machine drawing of die 50 is shown inFIG. 2A. As shown in FIG. 2A, an insert element 156 is located in flowpath 142 and has properties that permit the heat transfer between thefood layers to be adjusted to attain the goal of a plurality of distinctlayers. As can be seen in FIG. 2A, die 50 can be assembled anddisassembled according to the requirements of the final product. Forexample, a spacer block 50S separates die portion 50D from die finalportion 50F. By selecting the size of spacer block 50S the distancebetween die portion 50D and final portion 50F can be adjusted. Byadjusting this distance, the final cooking of the product can becontrolled. Furthermore, by selecting the material for insert element152 the cooking process can also be controlled. The material for insertelement 152 is delron which contributes to the preparation of the finalproduct. The thickness of the various layers can also be adjusted byadjusting the parts of die 50 as well. A bolt 50B is used to hold theparts of die 50 together.

As mentioned above, the final product can contain a multiplicity oflayers. While four layers have been disclosed above, more than fourlayers can be formed. To indicate this situation, FIG. 4 shows system10′ that has a plurality of units 52 ₁, 52 ₂ . . . 52 _(N) and aplurality of additive units A₁ . . . A_(N). Material streams I₁ . . .I_(N) flow into die 50″ such as shown in FIG. 5, with the dotsindicating further elements that are not specifically shown but whichcan be included. As shown in FIG. 5, die 50″ includes a plurality offlow paths that are arranged so that one of the flow paths surrounds theothers to sandwich the other flow paths therein in the manner discussedabove for layer L_(B). As discussed above, because the die is easilyassembled and disassembled, the reconfiguration of the die toaccommodate further material flows is efficiently achieved. Thus, asshown in FIG. 5, a second separator plate 160 is included in die 50″ anda conduit 62 _(N) from unit 52 _(N) fluidically connects unit 52 _(N) todie 50″ and to a chamber 162 that is similar to chamber 102 of FIG. 2.Material I_(N) flows into chamber 162 and then toward the outlet port130′ as discussed above in a side-by-side manner with material flowingin chamber 102′ and chamber 124′. As discussed above in reference to die50, these materials are combined in die 50″ to form layers L₁ . . .L_(N) for product 150″. A cutter unit 152 having a revolving cutterblade 154 can also be included in the die shown in FIG. 5.

The overall process for forming the multi-layer product of the presentinvention is indicated in FIG. 6 for the preferred form of themulti-layer product and in FIG. 7 for a multi-layer product having morethan four layers.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the overall process 170 is shown as includingsteps of: providing a dry mix in step 172; combining the dry mix with aliquid to form a slurry in step 174; preparing, as by cooking, theslurry in step 176; adding a first additive to the prepared slurry toform a first ingredient in step 178; adding at least a second additiveto the cooked slurry and forming a second ingredient in step 180; addinga third additive to the dry mix to form a third ingredient in step 182;preparing, as by cooking, the third ingredient in step 184; flowing thefirst ingredient and the third ingredient in side-by-side intersectingstreams to form a first multi-layer product in step 190 and causing thefirst multi-layer product to flow in an output direction; and causingthe second ingredient to flow in the output direction at two locationsadjacent to the first direction; combining the flowing multi-layerproduct with the flowing second ingredient at the two locations to forma final multi-layer product in step 192. The final product can then beformed by cutting the material flowing out of the die and furthertreating that material as required for the end product. As indicated inFIG. 6A, the process shown in FIG. 6 can be modified to omit step 178 ifunit 52 is omitted so that some prepared ingredient flows directly fromstep 176 to step 192.

This process is slightly modified in process 170′ shown in FIG. 7 toaccommodate any number of materials included in the final multi-layerproduct. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the just-described process isrepeated, but additional materials indicated by the dots and the unitI_(N) are added to the mix in the forming die at step 200, with theouter layers being added from unit I₁ in step 202. Process 170′ usessystem 10′ and die 50″ and produces product 150″.

As was the case in FIG. 6A, some of the preparation units can be omittedwith ingredients flowing directly from step 174 in FIG. 7 to step 202without any processing performed on the ingredient between steps 174 and202.

The preferred form of the multi-layer product as shown in FIG. 3 isformed using the following ingredients: wheat red second clear, soyflour, soy bean meal 47.5% pro, salt, glycerol monosterate, potassiumchloride, potassium sorbate, corn syrup, propylene glycol, smoke charsolC-10, phosphoric acid, beef tallow, emulsified beef, caramel and TiO₂and forms a product that is in the form of a cheeseburger and issuitable for animal treats. Real cheese can be used in the product ifdesired. The final product can include moisture that is sufficient tomake the overall product contain 10%–11% moisture by weight for a dryproduct and 15% to 25% moisture by weight for a semi-moist product. Itis also noted that the other ingredients that can be added in thealternative forms of the system shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 include sesameseeds, egg-like products and the like.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present inventionhave been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited tothe specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.

1. A forming die for forming a multi-layer food product comprising: afirst food ingredient flow path defined through said body; a second foodingredient flow path defined through said body to be side-by-side withsaid first flow path, said second flow path contacting said first flowpath at a first location; a third food ingredient flow path definedthrough said body to be on two sides of said first and second flow pathsto sandwich said first and second flow paths between said third flowpath; said third flow path being separated from said first and secondflow paths for a length of said first and second flow paths andcontacting said first and second flow paths at a second location that isspaced from the first location; said first flow path overlying saidsecond flow path at said first location to form a two-layer combinedfood ingredient product thereat; an exit conduit for receiving andcombining said first and second flow paths and discharging same at anexit conduit outlet thereof, said first location being positioned insaid exit conduit; a separator plate positioned between and separatingsaid first and second flow streams, said separator plate extendingpartly into said exit conduit; a die outlet port whereat said third flowpath exits said die, said exit conduit terminating at said secondlocation in said third flow path in spaced relation from said die outletport; and a cutter unit mounted on said body in proximity to said dieoutlet port and adapted for cutting said combined first, second andthird food ingredients into discrete food products.
 2. The die definedin claim 1 further including a fourth flow path defined through saidbody to be side-by-side with first and second flow paths.